Thermal behaviour of nickel(II) sulphate,nitrate and halide complexes containing ammine and ethylenediamine as ligands

Thermal behaviour of nickel amine complexes containing SO₄ ²⁻, NO₃ ⁻, Cl⁻ and Br⁻ as counter ions and ammonia and ethylenediamine as ligands have been investigated using simultaneous TG/DTA coupled with mass spectroscopy (TG/DTA–MS). Evolved gas analyses detected various transient intermediates during thermal decomposition. The nickel ammonium sulphate complex produces NH, N, S, O and N₂ species. The nickel ammonium nitrate complex generated fragments like N, N₂, NO, O₂, N₂O, NH₂ and NH. The halide complexes produce NH₂, NH, N₂ and H₂ species during decomposition. The ligand ethylenediamine is fragmented as N₂/C₂H₄, NH₃ and H₂. The residue hexaamminenickel(II) sulphate produces NiO with crystallite size 50 nm. Hexaammine and tris(ethylenediamine)nickel(II) nitrate produce NiO in the range 25.5 nm and 23 nm, respectively. The halide complexes produce nano sized metallic nickel (20 nm) as the residue. Among the complexes studied, the nitrate containing complexes undergo simultaneous oxidation and reduction.